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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25698442">From Ashes of Hope, A Monster is Born</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Data_HEX/pseuds/Data_HEX'>Data_HEX</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zine works [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV, Kingsglaive</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Changing from man to monster, Drautos Zine, Embrace the monster inside of you, Poetry, Zine piece, first person poem, losing hope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:06:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,253</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25698442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Data_HEX/pseuds/Data_HEX</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! This is my main piece for A Captains Tale, the Titus Drautos zine. The second chapter will house the second half that did not make it into the zine due to word limit constraints. </p><p>It's different from stuff I've done in the past, opting for first person poetry over an actual fic. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed writing it.</p><p>Hope you enjoy~</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zine works [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>A Captain's Tale</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>From Ashes of Hope, A Monster is Born</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! This is my main piece for A Captains Tale, the Titus Drautos zine. The second chapter will house the second half that did not make it into the zine due to word limit constraints. </p><p>It's different from stuff I've done in the past, opting for first person poetry over an actual fic. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed writing it.</p><p>Hope you enjoy~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I heard the rumors floating around like the buzzing of flies.<br/>
King Mors had intended to bring the wall down.<br/>
The wall protecting our village.<br/>
The wall that kept us alive. </p><p>As the days passed, the buzzing flies became angry bees.<br/>
The tension in the village grew heavy, like thick sludge.<br/>
Hope shifting into fear.<br/>
It felt as if we were walking on a thin tightrope.</p><p>We all gathered together in the middle of the square.<br/>
The order had finally come, the walls were coming down.<br/>
Thus, we watched in silence as they fell.<br/>
The soft shimmer fading away, opening the doors to the horrors outside. </p><p>I stood, watching mothers holding back their fear for their children.<br/>
Men, warriors, change their stance to be on the lookout for danger.<br/>
While the King and his entourage flew safely away.<br/>
Uncaring for the people he left behind to die.</p><p>And then it happened.<br/>
Screams filled the night as the empire reigned down upon us.<br/>
We had mere moments to gather ourselves, our loved ones.<br/>
Clinging to the hope that we will survive. </p><p>I stumbled out into the street<br/>
Disoriented from the gunfire, the explosions.<br/>
Metallic feet crunching against the ground<br/>
Creating a horrible chorus to the screams around me.</p><p>I only had a moment; Fight or flight<br/>
Fighting wasn’t an option being unarmed, so I ran.<br/>
I ran as fast as my legs would carry me.<br/>
It wasn’t fast enough. </p><p>The pain was excruciating, as the blow connected with my head.<br/>
Stumbling, falling, landing in a pool of someone else’s blood.<br/>
“He lives. Bring him back.” heard through static.<br/>
The world around me goes black.</p><p>Drifting in a void, uncertainty is my only friend.<br/>
Time has become non-existent, yet the pain is endless.<br/>
The sounds I hear around me make no sense.<br/>
Who, or what, is “Glauca” ?</p><p>Screaming rings out in the room, Bouncing off metallic walls.<br/>
Why won’t they stop this madness?<br/>
Stop torturing that poor person<br/>
Then I realized, those screams were mine.</p><p>The darkness was a welcomed blessing.<br/>
Until the world around me begins to come back.<br/>
Memories muddled, or forgotten.<br/>
“We have a live one!” is heard from above me.</p><p>Found by King Regis, I’m barely holding on.<br/>
“You’re lucky we found you. I think we can help.”<br/>
I cared not for his words of hope<br/>
I only longed for the sweet release of death. </p><p>I’m laying in the hospital bed.<br/>
Whispers that my wounds are healing faster than the normal man’s.<br/>
“What is he? This isn’t normal…”<br/>
What is he indeed, as I cannot remember what happened.</p><p>Finally cleared to leave, I’m met by Clarus Amicitia.<br/>
“I’m to take you to King Regis. Please, follow me.”<br/>
I say nothing, just nod and follow.<br/>
What would the King want with me?</p><p>The sound of our steps bounce along the walls.<br/>
The silence is heavy, but not quite uncomfortable.<br/>
He doesn’t know what to make of me.<br/>
I don’t know what to make of me.</p><p>The throne room was built to be intimidating.<br/>
Here, I kneel, he rises. Formalities are done.<br/>
He smiles, and leaves his throne.<br/>
“Come, I have much to show you.”</p><p>Being shown around by the King himself was not what I had expected.<br/>
He shows me the training grounds, the Crownsguard.<br/>
“We could use someone like you to help in the war.”<br/>
Me? What could I do in a war as massive as this?</p><p>“What happened to your home, your people? Was terrible”<br/>
I glare in response. Terrible doesn’t begin to cover what was destroyed.<br/>
“My promise to you, is to help rebuild what you’ve lost, but I need your help.”<br/>
“I accept”, for the promise of home is too much to turn my back on.<br/>
~<br/>
The years pass, the hope the King instilled in me is slowly fading<br/>
I had moved through the ranks quickly, finding normal soldiers were no match,<br/>
Yet losing out to the position of Marshal to Cor Leonis<br/>
I’m told, there’s a better position for me.</p><p>I watch as the wall is continuously pulled back.<br/>
More lives are lost as the empire comes in to destroy.<br/>
The villages and cities burn to the ground.<br/>
Galahd is beginning to fall.</p><p>Rumors began to fill the halls.<br/>
Some refugees could wield the King’s magic.<br/>
More pawns for the King to lose.<br/>
More lives to be thrown away.</p><p>“There are refugees from Galahd willing to fight.<br/>
Willing to risk it all for a chance to bring their homes back.<br/>
Titus, I’m asking you to be Captain of the Kingsglaive.”<br/>
“I accept”, knowing I’m leading those poor souls directly to their graves.</p><p>I meet them on the training grounds.<br/>
A ripple goes through them as I step out.<br/>
There’s anger and despair written on their faces<br/>
But hope burns bright in their eyes.</p><p>I train them hard, push them to their limits.<br/>
Knowing it will be life or death out on the field<br/>
But in the end, it won’t matter.<br/>
We’ve become fodder for the cannon in a losing war.<br/>
~<br/>
I’m watching through the small TV screen in my apartment.<br/>
The King announces that the wall will be pulled back entirely.<br/>
Only those in Insomnia will be protected.<br/>
Any hope I had left dissipates.</p><p>I’m standing in the middle of the room, shaking.<br/>
Anger flowing through me. How could he do this?<br/>
The whispers I heard years ago come back to me now<br/>
“Glauca…” </p><p>And then, it happens.<br/>
Pain rips through my body as it shifts, mutates.<br/>
A silent scream etched on my face as the darkness closes in.<br/>
When I open my eyes, all I see is red.</p><p>I panic as this new found power settles into me.<br/>
Fury and hatred flowing through, lighting my veins on fire.<br/>
All the years of sitting, waiting, watching, for nothing to happen coming out at once.<br/>
“Don’t be alarmed, Glauca. We’ve been waiting for you.”</p><p>As if floodgates have been opened, memories come back.<br/>
The testing under bright lights, the pain, the screams.<br/>
Voices speaking in a language I didn’t understand, until now.<br/>
Who is Glauca? I am Glauca.</p><p>I look down upon my new armored body, flexing my fingers, arms.<br/>
“Are you pleased?”<br/>
Am I? What was my purpose to become this monster?<br/>
“Come to Keycatrich Ruins. All will be answered.”</p><p>Left with more questions than answers, the fury begins to subside.<br/>
The red I saw slowly fades, and my vision is normal.<br/>
The armor once encasing my body is gone.<br/>
“Keycatrich ruins…” </p><p>The next mission the Glaives had near there, I inserted myself.<br/>
It was easy enough to walk away while the Glaives did their job.<br/>
The ruins were quiet, I began to question their motives.<br/>
“Ahh there he is.. The man of the hour. Captain Titus Drautos.”</p><p>The man steps out from behind a pillar.<br/>
“Let me introduce myself. Ardyn Izunia. Here to guide you.<br/>
You were tested on those many years ago, Glauca put inside of you.<br/>
The Empire is willing to give you your home back, for your allegiance, General Glauca.”</p><p>My home. Everything that had been ripped away, given back?<br/>
It sounded too good to be true, except...<br/>
General Glauca. The sound of it makes my body thrum in a new way<br/>
A way that surprised me, that I enjoyed it…  “I accept”</p><p>Thus I began living two lives.<br/>
Captain Titus Drautos for Lucis, General Glauca for Niflheim<br/>
At the end of it all, it did not matter who I fought for.<br/>
My hope was diminishing, so I embraced the monster inside me</p>
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